The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a conduit, and a method for cleaning a conduit. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to a portable apparatus for cleaning an aircraft oxygen conduit and a method for cleaning an aircraft oxygen conduit.
It is desirable to keep conduits in apparatuses clean and free from contaminates. A conduit is a pipe, channel, tube or the like, for conveying a fluid (gas or liquid). In particular, but without limitation, an oxygen conduit is a conduit that conveys oxygen to aircraft crew, a cockpit area, manned areas of any type of vehicle (aircraft, ship, truck, tank, etc.), and the like. An oxygen conduit can also convey oxygen to an engine, a chamber, a machine, or the like that requires oxygen for operation or use. Oxygen conduits need to be kept clean and free from foreign substances. Oxygen conduits can build up contamination and/or foreign substances as a result of normal use, malfunction or poor/improper maintenance. Contaminated oxygen conduits can cause fires and/or contaminate the oxygen, resulting in severe injury or death.
In addition, many conduit cleaners utilize chemicals that contain cleaning agents that are incompatible with oxygen systems. If the cleaned conduit is not completely purged of the cleaning agent, the oxygen system may not function properly once the conduit is reinstalled. Such malfunctions can cause, for example, oxygen fires and explosions. In aircraft oxygen conduits, a contaminated conduit is a life threatening safety hazard affecting both pilots and aircrew.
The standards of the Department of Defense, National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), National Fire Protection Agency, American Society for Testing Materials and the Society of Automotive Engineers all specify that the rigorous removal of organic and particulate contamination from oxygen and oxygen enriched handling equipment is absolutely necessary to prevent a fire hazard. Failure to thoroughly clean oxygen enriched handling equipment has resulted in catastrophic fires. Testing by NASA has demonstrated that, in the presence of an ignition source resulting from particulate contamination or organic material, many metals will burn in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. Accompanying the fire hazard is the toxicity hazard associated with oxygen and oxygen enriched handling equipment used in providing life support functions. In addition, personnel could be injured from toxic residue remaining in life support equipment cleaned with a cleaning agent that was inadequate. In these instances, the cleaning agent either failed to remove toxic contaminants or it contained toxic contaminates that were not removed during the cleaning process.
Due to the Montreal Protocol Agreement of 1987, production of CFC-113 xe2x80x9cFreonxe2x80x9d solvent, a class I Ozone Depleting Substance, has ceased as of Jan. 1, 1996. CFC-113 was the preferred Navy cleaning agent for oxygen systems and oxygen conduits. It was therefore necessary to develop a new apparatus for cleaning an oxygen conduit and to develop a new method for cleaning oxygen conduits that is safe and easy to use.
In addition, conventional apparatuses for cleaning conduits are typically not portable and often are large, bulky and clumsy. Most apparatuses for cleaning a conduit require the work piece or conduit to be cleaned to be transferred to the apparatus for cleaning a conduit, which can be both inconvenient and time consuming.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that is portable and easy to use.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit, having a housing, a filter, and a pump. The filter is attached to a conduit to be cleaned, and is also attached to an aqueous solution reservoir. The pump is attached to a power supply, the aqueous solution reservoir, and the conduit to be cleaned. The filter and pump are storable within the housing.
The present invention is directed to a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit that is portable with the ability to be easily transported. The portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit is also easy and inexpensive to manufacture. The portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit is easy to use, easy to assemble and disassemble.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning a conduit that may be brought on board an aircraft and brought into tight cockpits. It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning a conduit that may used by deployed military personnel.
It is an object of the invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that can use any aqueous solution, specifically one that does not utilize any materials that can be a fire hazard. It is another object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus that is environmentally safe and does not utilize any ozone depleting substances that other cleaners utilize. It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method that satisfies Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit that can also include a cleaning solution, which can effectively clean oxygen conduits. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus wherein the cleaning solution can be a liquid oxygen cleaning compound and water.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that cleans oils, grease, particulate, contaminates, and the like from the inside of an conduit, specifically, but without limitation, from the inside of an oxygen conduit. Based on United States Navy requirements, the portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit has been tested to effectively clean oxygen conduits close to 100%.
It is a further object to provide a portable apparatus for cleaning a conduit and method for cleaning a conduit that is compatible with an oxygen system.